Get your kit on! A look at World T20 uniforms

After a winning sojourn in Australian Gold against South Africa, Steve Smith's men are back in black for the World T20

cricket.com.au
11 March 2016

Australia will again wear a black strip in the World T20 as they seek to claim the one global trophy that has eluded the men's team.

It is the same strip that Australia wore in January's KFC T20 INTL series against India - with subtle changes to appease International Cricket Council sponsorship regulations.

Steve Smith's men had worn gold during the recent 2-1 T20 series win against South Africa, continuing their tradition of wearing gold away from home. They also wore gold last winter in the one-off T20 against England in Cardiff.

However, black was deemed Australia's colour of choice for the world event. It will also mark the first time the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars have worn a black strip as they seek an incredible fourth consecutive Women's World T20 title.

Lanning lifts Australia's third Women's World T20 in 2014 // Getty

Australia wore gold en route to the 50-over World Cup crown 12 months ago, but the national T20 side has worn black for several seasons now.

Keen kit watchers will also note there has been a subtle influence of alternative, or 'clash' uniforms for some nations in this World T20. Some - such as Scotland's lurid pink - are obvious, while others such as Sri Lanka's multi-coloured strip, are more subtle.

Check out what the 16 World T20 hopefuls will be wearing this time – and some of their more memorable kits from previous tournaments.

Afghanistan

Gulbadin Naib looks striking for Afghanistan // Getty

Afghanistan are emerging as a force not to be taken lightly in world cricket. They won hearts with their efforts in the spotlight last year at the 50-over World Cup in Australia in New Zealand and now they are winning matches on the global stage in this World T20.

Winners in their opening two matches, with a place in the Super 10 stage up for grabs in Saturday night's showdown with Zimbabwe, Afghanistan have been turning heads not just for their outstanding play.

A striking blue uniform, with red cuffs and yellow, black and red side panels and shoulders is one of the more attractive kits at this World T20 tournament. Seeing more of it as the tournament enters the Super 10 stage would be no bad thing.

A lighter shade of green has been added to the sides of Australia's predominantly black World T20 uniform.

Australia have donned the black for the past two World T20s, as well as in home T20 Internationals and the departure from the traditional gold helps to differentiate the T20 and ODI uniforms.

Aaron Finch at the 2014 World T20 and Mitch Starc in 2012 // Getty

Before settling on the darker uniform in recent years, Australia experimented with a range of different styles. In their first ever T20 International, both Australia and New Zealand went for the retro look as both sides sought to emulate uniforms worn in the 1980s.

Beige Kiwis met Aussie gold in the first international T20 in 2005 // Getty

But as the cricket world began to take T20 more seriously, Australia moved with the times and their uniforms for the 2007 and 2009 World T20s were unique. The vest and tights came with options of long or short sleeves, as firstly grey, and then the ivy green were matched with the traditional gold. Note the stripes on the 2009 edition.

Adam Gilchrist at the 2007 World T20 and Nathan Bracken in 2009 // Getty

Versions of the green and gold vest and tights uniform were used until the 2012 World T20 saw the shift to the black, which has been the primary uniform for the national T20 team ever since.

This World T20 tournament will see the Southern Stars follow suit, with an interesting addition that is sure to have replica kit buyers envious. The wide-brimmed Floppy Gold, so stunningly brought back into fashion by George Bailey during the 50-over component of Australia's summer, has been trasnferred to the T20 format. The Southern Stars this week revealing the Floppy Black!

Asia Cup finalists and favourites to progress out of Group A into the Super 10 stage, Bangladesh have maintained the traditional red and green colours for their World T20 kit.

Bangladesh is one of the countries that has opted to have a clash strip - presumably they will wear the primarily red-shirted, green-sleeved version when they face Pakistan who play all in green, although it remains to be seen.

Shakib Al Hasan models the two variations of the Bangla strip // Getty

England have had more costume changes than a Hollywood film-star over the years, with red shirt and blue pants, the all-navy and a lighter shade of blue all being tried and dispensed with for the first three World T20s.

England's 2007, 2009 and 2012 World T20 uniforms // Getty

But they've come full circle, as they've ultimately returned to the 2007 kit, albeit with a brighter (bordering on fluro) top - officially labelled by the manufacturer as "shock red".

Simple blacks and slashes of red an apt colour scheme for Hong Kong make it one of the simpler but more striking outfits in the World T20, but fans will have to be quick to catch it while they still can. Consecutive defeats to open the tournament have seen Hong Kong already eliminated from Super 10 contention.

India

Yuvraj Singh gives us the double guns, Shooter McGavin style // Getty

World T20 favourites, India have been a model of consistency off the field, donning subtle variations of blue shades across the five previous tournaments.

For the 2007 World T20, they donned a light blue and since then they've maintained a darker shade, somewhere between azure and cerulean.

While this tournament sees them not quite return to the baby-blue shading in which they won the very first World T20, it is the lightest blue they've played in since that famous tournament in South Africa.

This current kit is interspersed with stripes of orange at the top of their shirts and has expanding concentric blue circles emanating from the badge over the left breast. There is also a hint of blue-green checks at the bottom left of the shirt and orange piping on the pants pocket seams.

While it's not quite as readily identifiable as the sky blue of 2007, should India become the first team to win to two World T20 titles, and the first to win as hosts, this particular kit could well become the most sought after item of merchandise in Indian cricket history.

India skipper MS Dhoni has the expectations of a nation on his shoulders // Getty

Ireland

Ireland's Boyd Rankin is hoping for some luck // Getty

A subtle hint of shamrock on the shirt and an abundance of 'leprechaun green' is the uniform of choice for Ireland at the World T20.

It marks the first time since the 2010 tournament that Ireland have worn a predominantly green strip with previous editions of this tournament seeing the men from the Emerald Isle playing mainly in dark blue.

However, in 2010, Ireland's pants and shirt were different shades of green, a fashion faux pas that they've thankfully fixed for this tournament.

Ireland at the 2010 (left), 2012 and 2014 World T20 events

Netherlands

Pinstripes in orange at this World T20 for Dutch bowler Roelof Van Der Merwe // Getty

The Dutch have maintained their uniform from their previous appearance in the World T20 at the 2014 event, with a minor modifcation.

Gone is the turned polo-style collar, the Netherlands not afraide to embrace a modernist style with an open stub style more commonly seen in the football codes.

New Zealand

The Kiwis have made some bold choices over the years for their T20 uniforms.

NZ's 2009, 2010 and 2014 World T20 uniforms // Getty

Sure, black has been a constant, but they've experimented with gold, grey, blue and even teal at various points.

But they've ditched all of those colours for the 2016 World T20, which sees the Black Caps make a daring return in beige.

Tim Southee models a kit sure to delight the Beige Brigade // Getty

The men are back in beige but that colour was deemed to drab for the New Zealand women's team, who have opted for a pink and black colour scheme but keeping the same design. The result is a striking shirt combination that may be the most attractive outfit in the women's game.

Lisa Kasperek will be out to put the World T20 in a spin // Getty

Oman

Jatinder Singh is a very serious looking man // Getty

Oman have a 100 per cent win record at the World T20, winning their first match in the showpiece global tournament. For how long they can keep that win rate up remains to be seen - they were due to play the Netherlands in their second match on Friday night - but If the ICC handed out prizes for uniforms, Oman would be a serious contender.

From quilted red trousers, to flames from a fire-breathing dragon, and the traditional white polo collar, the red and green Oman kit is a work of art.

Coupled with an unrepentant pro-Mankad stance, there's a lot to like about Oman and the way they go about their cricket.

Pakistan

Pakistan's World T20 kit on display // Pakistan Cricket

Pakistan's delayed arrival to India has delayed the unveiling of their official team kit. However, cricket.com.au can reveal they will once again wear an all-green uniform.

Gone are the tinges of blue on the sleeves and hemline of the shirt they wore in the Asia Cup with a clean green scheme and subtle hint of the heraldic star on the lower shirt front. The zipper is also a unique touch.

It marks a return to Pakistan's more traditional colours. Previous events have seen them explore the green colour spectrum. Hard to believe just judging by the ageless Shahid Afridi - is he getting younger? - but the below pictures represent Pakistan's uniforms at the 2010, 2012 and 2014 World T20 events.

Shahid Afridi through the ages for Pakistan // Getty

Scotland

Kilts and dress shoes will be reserved for off-field functions // Cricket Scotland

They may be winless from 20 matches at the World T20 but Scotland's uniform is a consistent winner in terms of the fashion stakes.

The above fashion photoshoot in Edinburgh displayed a pleasing mix of tartan that will be worn by both the men's and women's teams at this event. The female pictured is not a Scottish cricketer but rather leading kilt designer Siobhan Mackenzie.

"The kilts that the guys are wearing today are variations on the Mackenzie tartan used in different ways, along with different textures, tweeds and velvets to give them a real fresh and modern look," she said at the launch. The players, meanwhile, were impressed the shirts "are really light, which will be handy when we get to India".

Scotland, however, are standing out from the crowd in a big way. Their alternate strip for the men is pink. South Africa's men's team have been known to wear pink in the limited overs format, and Australia has the annual pink Jane McGrath Day in Sydney. So it is perhaps not surprising the influence of pink has made it to the men's event on the world stage.

Scots skipper Preston Mommsen models the pink clash kit // Getty

South Africa

AB de Villiers shows off South Africa's T20 uniform during the series defeat to Australia // Getty

South Africa, Australia and Pakistan were the last teams to arrive in India for this tournament, albeit for differing reasons. The two southern hemisphere sides on Thursday morning finished a series in Cape Town that saw the Proteas lose 2-1 to Steve Smith's men.

In fact, the Proteas have not beaten Australia in six consecutive home series in any format stretching back seven years.

South Africa's delayed arrival means there's no official headshots available yet, so we've included a shot of AB de Villiers playing during the most recent series. The uniform the Proteas will wear in the World T20 is ostensibly the same, without South Africa across the chest instead of the sponsor.

South Africa playing without Oxigen? Hmmm....

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka unveiled not one but TWO new and very colourful outfits during their photoshoot ahead of the tournament. One is presumably a 'clash' outfit. Which kitd they're worried about clashing with remains to be seen with Sri Lanka's kit designers slapping a rainbow across the shirt front.

The West Indies swaggered into World Series Cricket wearing pink back in the 1970s. But the current crop of players have opted for a dark maroon with golden lettering, collar and cuffs as they seek their second World T20 title.

Undoubtedly this uniform will be accessorised with heavy gold chains by some players.

The 2016 kit is a darker red but similar to that worn in 2014 and during their run to the world championship in 2012. But it is not a patch on the colourful combination they sported when hosting this event in 2010.

Zimbabwe is another nation to that prefers red in its kit and the 2016 kit sticks firmly to the tried and true colour scheme. Yellow stitching across the abdomen adds some detail, as does yellow flares around the shoulders and under the armpits.

The yellow additions, and lettering, which was previously white, are the only changes from the African nation's previous kits at the global tournament.

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Cricket Australia.